All of the top-rated, high-speed HDMI cables that we reviewed perform at or above the stringent standards established by HDMI Licensing LLC, but dCables HDMI 1.4 Hi-Speed Cable with Ethernet offers a well-rounded, competitive product.
The cable is built with quality materials. It offers support for all the advanced audio and color features, which means it exceeds the high-speed requirement of transmitting 10.2 Gbps (gigabits per second). However, the cable is only certified for 10.2 Gbps, which means we aren't sure how much supports advanced color spaces. In addition, the cable with Ethernet is only available in a handful of shorter lengths from 3 to 15 feet, and it is not CL3 safety certified for in-wall installation.
DCables HDMI 1.4 Hi-Speed Cable with Ethernet meets the compliance standards for high-speed HDMI cables. With any HDMI cable, including those from dCables, the benchmark for bandwidth, or the amount of digital data that can be transmitted per second, must be met in order to be designated an HDMI high-speed cable. That designation is 10.2 Gbps. However, the dCables model exceeds the required 10.2 Gbps, as it provides support for advanced color spaces and 3D.
The cable also includes Ethernet, which provides an internet connection. Ethernet does not alter the audio-visual components of the cable; it simply eliminates the need for an additional cable. The Ethernet component also offers a better internet signal than most Wi-Fi connections, which can be advantageous for streaming movies and maintaining the connection during a video Skype phone call. HDMI cable with Ethernet will only work with devices that support the technology. Few if any devices are equipped to use it at the time of writing, but with all the cables with Ethernet on the market today, we believe that many devices will support HDMI cable with Ethernet in the near future. HDMI Licensing LLC is a partnership with a number of top electronics companies who work together to develop technologies that support standardized cables.
The dCables model is also RoHS compliant, which means it does not contain hazardous substances that would be harmful to use within a household or to place in a landfill. In addition, the cable is HDCP certified, which means that it contains the protocol needed to prevent unauthorized duplication of copyrighted materials.
dCables HDMI 1.4 Hi-Speed Cable with Ethernet supports a resolution of 1080p, the current standard for high-definition TV. The cable supports Adobe RGB (8 bits), which provides millions of colors, and it also nicely accommodates Deep Color (16 bits), which can display trillions of colors. Deep Color and the x.v.Color standard incorporate a far larger segment of the color spectrum that is visible to the human eye. These formats provide spectacular, lifelike images on components, such as Blu-ray Disc players, and advanced gaming systems, such as Sony's PS3 and Xbox 360.
Indeed, the cable can deliver well beyond high-definition standards to accommodate 1440p, 2160p and more, as it supports 3D and the advanced color spaces sYCC601 and Adobe YCC601.
HDMI's extreme bandwidth sustains spectacular audio performances to accompany the latest video formats. The dCable model accommodates not only compressed, surround-sound formats like Dolby Digital and DTS, but it also fully supports the use of advanced, pure, uncompressed audio available through DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. Digital audio-video content includes many more components than analog formats used, and the synchronization of sound and visual content has become more challenging. This cable also supports a technology called Lip Sync, which helps solve the synchronization issue.
The internal, data-carrying conductors are made of oxygen-free copper to facilitate precise data delivery. The cable is triple-shielded to prevent data loss and interference from electromagnetic or radio frequencies. Its gold-plated terminals effectively resist corrosion and offer extended component life. However, the cable does not have nitrogen gas injection between the conductors and the inner sheath, which would assist in sustaining the signal.
The cable is only available in 3-foot, 6-foot, 10-foot and 15-foot models in 28 AWG (American Wire Gauge), although the manufacturer provides 25-foot, 35-foot and 50-foot high-speed cables without Ethernet and at a lower gauge, which means they are larger in diameter. Most of the cables we reviewed are at 28 AWG, but some companies must increase the diameter of its longer cables in order to maintain the signal and to be properly certified. Some of the best HDMI cables we reviewed provide cable lengths with Ethernet up to 50 feet. However, you can easily increase the length of any cable with the proper HDMI extension cable or repeater.
We found the company’s customer support to be very responsive, and the representatives are unusually knowledgeable. They seem to recognize that the abundance of information available to customers seeking to make the right HDMI cable decision can be overwhelming, and they go the extra mile to clarify any issue. You may contact the customer support team by toll-free telephone or by email. The website also provides live chat and a FAQs page.
The company's guarantee is multi-tiered. The cables are guaranteed for life against manufacturing defects. It provides a hassle-free, 30-day return policy. The company also offers a compatibility guarantee, which states that it will replace a cable if it doesn’t work properly. Simply inform a customer support representative of the make and model of the device with which it doesn't perform, and the company will refund your money.
A high-speed HDMI cable must meet very precise specifications. That fact makes all the cables in this industry very competitive, since their differences can be hard to distinguish without doing some research. Despite some hang-ups regarding the cable lengths it provides, dCables HDMI 4.1 Hi-Speed Cable with Ethernet meets and exceeds all the required standards. Although it is not certified as such, the cable supports 3D and advanced color spaces, in addition to offering advanced audio features. We also like that the company has kept its prices much lower than other top-rated brands. DCables offers a great cable, and it is future-proofed for emerging technologies that are on the horizon.
